Death to Order by Simon Ball
A deeply researched history of assassination in the modern world, from Franz Ferdinand to Osama bin Laden Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Leon Trotsky, Reinhard Heydrich, Mahatma Gandhi, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto, Osama bin Laden, Qasem Soleimani: assassination—the murder of a specific individual by an organised conspiracy in pursuit of political ends—has rarely failed to grip the imagination. In this incisive new history, Simon Ball shows how targeted political murder has become a tool of democratic states but also a key strategy of those who wish to topple them. Ball introduces us to the techniques of assassination and those who wield them, as well as the security regimes that have developed to prevent this violent practice. From the First World War and the age of empire to terrorism and the development of pilotless drones, Death to Order places assassination at the heart of modern political history—and shows how it continues to impact our world.“A fascinating exploration of political murder and the efforts to prevent it, written with insight and based on extensive researchNot bedtime reading.”—David Reynolds, author of Mirrors of Greatness
“From Gavrilo Princip to drones, Ball’s is an extremely erudite history of assassination. Weaving together different strands of scholarship, he brilliantly elucidates both the assassinations themselves, and their social and cultural repercussions.”—Luca Trenta, author of The President’s Kill List
“A lastingly important subject, analysed here with admirable skill, scholarship, flair and accessibility. A vivid and powerful book.”—Richard English, author of Does Counter-Terrorism Work?
“Death to Order is a masterpiece of international history. Simon Ball wears his great learning lightly, but the new research is prodigious and could hardly be more necessary. As contemporary events keep reminding us, this is a story for our times.”—Richard Aldous, author of Reagan and Thatcher
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780300258042 |
| ISBN 10 | 0300258046 |
| Title | Death to Order |
| Author | Simon Ball |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Yale University Press |
| Year published | 2025-07-22 |
| Number of pages | 464 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |